Mosman joins 50/50 by 2020

Bega District News
Tuesday 6/11/2007 Page: 8

ON OCTOBER 25, 170 Mosman residents gathered to listen to Clean Energy for Eternity members talk about a strategic community-based approach to climate change. The meeting was organised by the Mosman CEFE team in conjunction with the local council, and was a response to some critical media coverage about Mosman's high carbon footprint. The Mosman per capita carbon footprint is the highest in Australia.

The 50/50 by 2020 target was adopted with only one objection from a resident who thought that nuclear energy was a better solution. This is the first time an urban community has voted to adopt the 50/50 by 2020 target and it will bring new challenges. Large scale macro renewable energy is more difficult in an urban environment, with large scale solar photovoltaic installations and bulk purchasing of solar hot water probably two of the best options in the short term.

There are also quick gains to be made with energy efficiency measures. A high profile Sydney shire is a great boost for the CEFE campaign and opens up the possibility of other shires in Sydney coming on board. A CEFE group has just started up in Manly and, with their help, we plan a human sign on Manly Beach on December 2. The sign will form "LifeSaving Energy" and will be the launch of LifeSaving Energy at a national level.

We are hopeful that the three surf clubs in Manly will be fitted out with renewable energy by the launch date and on the South Coast we hope to get Moruya and Narooma surf clubs organised by December 07. Suddenly, we have interest from some big sponsors, and things are starting to happen. A growing CEFE presence in Sydney raises the possibility of some very useful partnerships.

Mosman, for example, is affluent but doesn't have any spare land. SE NSW has lots of land. There are exciting possibilities for community owned macro renewable energy projects in our part of the world, jointly funded by regional and urban populations. The opportunities are enormous for our region. There are many options for community owned macro renewable energy projects. One that we can get up and running quickly is a solar photovoltaic farm.

Ten hectares of photovoltaic cells would produce 2MW of electricity, enough to look after most of the energy needs of a town the size of Merimbula or Bega or Cooma or Moruya or Batemans Bay. CEFE is pushing hard to get a solar farm up and running by the middle of next year. Does anyone have a spare 10 hectares with a north facing aspect?

Matthew Nott, CEFE